Ripples A Reflection On Dattopant Thengadi's Third Way - Part 37
11 Jun 2022 10:00:26
I have been reflecting in my own way on Dattopant Thengadi Ji's Third Way. I present these small "ripples" that it has caused in my mind in a series. I am glad it has found its resonance in many thinking minds alike. I hope the readers have read the earlier article in the series before moving ahead.
Also Read: Ripples A Reflection On Dattopant Thengadi's Third Way - Part 36Hindu philosophy focuses on individual happiness and welfare of the entire humanity or world. The word Swa (स्व) suggests individual and universal self, as they are one. It implies not only physical and material aspects but it covers moral and spiritual aspects too. An individual is like an organ of a social unit too.
As a result of this approach, the theory thinks in terms of international cooperation instead of compitition. Settlements of disputes and differences holding 'peaceful consultations and reasonable compromise'. It believes in 'living at peace, working together for common good and revelation of God in man'. Bipin Chandra pal thought on these lines who is known to all as a Hindu nationalist.
Deendayal Ji perceived the world state as enriched by the contribution of different cultures, focusing on Manav Dharma and the role of all schools of thought including materialism too.
Shri Guruji thought that this could become a reality if the Vedic truth 'All is One' is believed by all. Obviously, it does not to exclude the 'distinctive features of a nation' or make one uniform pattern for all. It is supposed to have the spirit of a family where all have same goal but everyone preserves individual nationality. It is not to destroy distinctive characteristics and ignore the natural beauty of diversity but it makes a harmonious picture.
The concept is to evolve out of a 'federation of autonomous and self-contained nations'. He states that Hindu thought is the unifying element. 'Inner spirit charges mind with the sublime urge to toil for the happiness of mankind'. Every element gets sufficient space to grow fully.
Dattopant stated that all the 8 words used in the third shloka of mantrapushpanjali (samrajyam, bhojyam, vairajyam etc) and 4 more explain the forms of government. Vedic rishis experimented and found one (Bahupayya swarajyjam) to be the best of all.
(Could not get the detail reference or some literature on this point. If any reader can throw some light on this, it would help all to understand the thought. Please share the reference if one has.)